Masquerade of Love
by Lu Nanami
Summary: Barnaby spends his retired time doing lots of things, but nothing seems to fill his life, but a masquerade ball, that he is invited, happens to change his life interely. He'll have to deal with feelings he didn't think he had. Barnaby/Kotetsu love. Implied Rose/Tiger.
1. Invitation - Side Bunny

"Nothing to do in this lonely room..." That was what Barnaby thought after spending a day in his apartment looking at the reprises of the Hero TV.

After his retirement, he started trying to do lots of things, such as charity jobs, not as a hero, but as normal person. He really liked helping others, but nothing could fill his life. He didn't realize what was missing in his life.

He finally could sleep in peace knowing that his parents were avenged, even though there were things, about that, that weren't uncovered yet. He finally could be happy, but why was his life still not complete?

As he was wondering what was the problem, the intercom started ringing.

"Barnaby-san, there is a letter that needs your signature." The doorman talked through the intercom.

"Oh, thank you for bringing it to me." Barnaby said after opening the door. After signing the letter, he started reading it:

-x-

"_Dear Mr. Barnaby Brooks Jr.,_

_We would like to invite you to our Hero Masquerade Ball._

_All heroes were invited, even those who are retired.  
It would be really pleasant If you could be present, as you, former KOH, that helped us so many times._

_We already contacted Mr. Wild Tiger and he confirmed that he is going to come._

_We will be expecting you,_

_Hero TV."_

-x-

As Barnaby read the letter he started feeling very anxious and didn't know how to react. As soon as he read Wild Tiger's name, his heart started pounding a little. He didn't understand why it was happening, but he was decided to go to the party. He could finally have a chance to meet everybody again, even though it was a brief time.

So he started preparing everything for that Masquerade ball that could change his empty life a little... or so he thought...


	2. Invitation - Side Tiger

It wasn't easy helping his brother in liquor store, thought Kotetsu. Oriental Town was a pacific place to enjoy his retirement, but he missed being a hero and helping others, even though the people still saw him as public calamity. After the whole Ouroboros incident, Sternbild people really started liking Wild Tiger more, but he would always be a Crusher for Justice.

"Aaaah~, How boring having nothing to do. I miss being a hero." As he started mumbling about it, Kaede started knocking the door impatiently.

"Dad, stop doing that! You are so uncool! This way people will really think you are old, always nagging about things of the past! " Kaede said, entering the room.

"Kaedeee~ Can't you say nice things to you papa? Papa is always trying his best here." It was really difficult to communicate with his daughter, even though they started doing fine after the incident. Certain things never change.

"Can't you be more like Barnaby? He is so cool and collect and he did all work without complaining about it." When she started talking about Barnaby, her eyes started shimmering. "I really wanted to meet him again…"

"Always Bunny this, Bunny that…" Kotetsu started sulking. "Papa is way cooler than Bunny… But why did you come here? Did you have something to talk about, rather than Bunny?"

"Ah! That's right! A letter came for you today. Here it is." She gave the letter and was preparing to leave. "Now I have to go to school. Bye, dad."

Kotetsu didn't have a moment to say anything. After opening the envelope, he read the contents of the letter:

-x-

"_Dear Mr. Wild Tiger,_

_We would like to invite you to our Hero Masquerade Ball._

_All heroes were invited, even those who are retired.  
Even though you gave more injury than anything to us, we would like to thank you for all your deeds._

_We will be expecting you,_

_Hero TV."_

_-x-_

"Ah, I don't wanna go! This is going to be troublesome!" Kotetsu said, putting the letter away." But it could be something fun to do! I am bored here anyway and I could mess with Bunny like I used to!" He started feeling hyper about it, thinking about how he would meet the other heroes and talk with Barnaby again.

"Let's start preparing things wildly~!" as the older man was looking for clothes. "Da~! I don't have any fancy clothes!" he remembered. " Guess I'll have to buy clothes… Even though I have no money at all…"

Life was not easy for Kotetsu and this was just the beginning...


	3. Waltz for a hero

Every person in the ballroom was dressed formally. The place had a sophisticate air about it. The piano playing and everybody in the room was dancing.

'_How much time has passed since I went to an event like this?_' Barnaby thought when entered the main room. His suit was red and his mask was red and orange, which almost seemed like a draw of a phoenix.

All the girls in the room were enchanted when Barnaby entered. They started running to him and fighting over who would dance with him first. The commotion was huge. 'Ah, I want to go home' thought Barnaby. But he remembered that he went to the ball for a reason. He wanted to meet everyone again.

"Haha! You can't be serious! You did that?! Some things never change-"

"Shuddup! I didn't do that on purpose!"

Suddenly, Barnaby heard loud voices that he could never forget, even if decades passed. He looked to see the heroes all gathered in corner of the room. "Dears, I'm very sorry, but I have an appointment that has to be taken care. If you, ladies, excuse me." He started walking as the girls that were left behind started sulking.

"I'm saying it to you. It wasn't my fault!" Kotetsu said sulking and mumbling about it.

"Kotetsu-san, you never change." said the blonde man as he got to the heroes reunion.

"Bunny!" the older man ran and hugged the younger man. "How long has it been? Have you been eating right? No problem sleeping?" as he started filling Barnaby with a lot of questions, the new hero started feeling the same thing he felt as he as reading the invitation.

'_Why is this happening again? Whenever I see his face or hear his name I start feeling that shiver again.'_ It was difficult for him to understand what it was, since his life was all about revenge and working. Other feelings were unwelcomed.

"Stop hugging me, Kotetsu-san! Don't you have a sense of personal space?"

"Ah! Sorry, Sorry! You don't have to be fussy about these things, Bunny-chan…"

"Certain things never change and If they changed it could be strange." Said Sky High. "You are still really close, even though time has passed."

"You are right, Sky High. These two must really love each other to be fighting every time they meet." teased Fire Emblem causing the pair to be uncomfortable.

"Idiot duo…" Blue rose started mumbling about it in the corner. "Handsome appears and Tiger forgets everyone else and starts running to him." she couldn't contain her rage.

"All right, all right. No more fighting! Let's enjoy the party! It's time to dance." Rock Bison started pushing the duo to go dance. "We only have two girls here, so two pair will be of guys-UAAW!"

"Don't you mean THREE girls?" Fire emblem started grabbing Bison's butt. "You'll be my pair, darling!" he started telling the others. "Sky High will be Blue Rose's pair, Origami Cyclone will be Dragon Kid's pair and Tiger and Handsome will be the other! How about it? After the first dance we will change the partners."

"Why do I have to dance with the old man?! This will be really strange, two man dancing together!" the blonde hero was pissed and started blurting his feelings.

"Che! Like I would like to dance with Bunny-chan! I bet you can only hop around!" the older man was offended and started mocking Barnaby.

"I'll show who can only hop!" as Barnaby said that, he pushed Kotetsu over to ballroom and started leading the dance. The brunette hero was surprised at how good the younger hero was at dancing. Even though he didn't know how to dance, with Barnaby leading it was very easy.

"I'm impressed, Bunny-chan. You really can dance."

"I'm an elite man. Do you really think I could not do something as simple as this?"

"You are really not cute at all…"

Suddenly the room started getting darker. The lights were almost off, giving the place a good atmosphere of the night. As Barnaby was dancing, he started looking at the other man; his eyes were ambers that sparkled like gold. He was enchanted with the color of the older man's eyes in that dark room. At that moment, the shiver started appearing again. His heart was pounding louder and louder and he could almost feel it jumping out of his chest.

"Oi, Bunny-chan, are you alright? You're silent and staring at my face this entire time. Do you need a re-" before the bearded man could finish his question, Barnaby leaned and gave him a kiss. It was like he couldn't control himself anymore. And in that moment he could not hear anything anymore, just the music of the piano and the sound of his heart pounding like crazy.

_I just want this waltz to never end…_


	4. Reason or Emotion?

The music had finally finished and the people in the room stopped dancing and applauded. Nobody could see anything, because the ballroom was so dark that all other pairs were faint.

After the dance finished, Kotetsu and Barnaby remained, both, frozen in their place. Barnaby didn't understand what motivated him to do that unexplainable thing.

"…" the younger hero was static with his mind lost in thought.

"Bunny, What, in heaven's sake, did you do?!" the older hero suddenly blurted out. "Have you lost your mind?!"

"…I don't know why…" the blonde's face was white and he could not understand what he was saying.

"How do you not know why?!" the brunette man started feeling very anxious and angry, but he didn't know why. "Are you gay?!"

"Of course not, old man!" Barnaby snapped back.

"So why?! Do you like me in that way?!"

"Why would I like you?! Are you insane, old man?!" he was so disturbed that he could not process any thought and, of course, with Kotetsu pressing him so much, he started blurting things without giving a thought. It was like his mind went to any other place. "You really value yourself too high to think I would have feelings for you of all people."

"You are rea-"

"OOOOOOK! Darlings, now we switch!" Fire Emblem started yelling to all heroes. Kotetsu didn't have a chance to say anything anymore and remained quiet.

"What happened with you two? You are making scary faces." the pink suit man said.

"Nothing." the hero duo answered at the same time coldly.

"Ok. If you say so." he ignored them. "Now we will change pairs! Sky High will be Origami's pair, Tiger will be Rose's pair, Rock Bison will be Kid's pair and Handsome and me will be the last pair!" the bourgeois placed every dance pair together and when the music started playing again, they started dancing.

* * *

Kotetsu was still angry with the whole situation and couldn't understand why Barnaby did that. The blonde hero replied in that manner and it made him think that he was mocking him.

'_It couldn't be. I know that we are partners and I always tease him, but to do that to me is not funny. This is something very serious that could make a huge misunderstanding.' _The brunette man was trying to think very hard about it. "

…Ger…"

"…"

"…Tiger!"

"Da-! Sorry I was thinking about something."

"Are you ok? You are making a scary face." Rose was worried.

"I'm okay! I'm okay! Nothing to worry." Kotetsu started smiling.

"I-It's not like I'm w-worried or something. It's just that you don't look like the type of guy who would think something so serious to make that face." she started blushing and snapping back. She was taken by surprise when the bearded man started smiling at her.

"Ouch! So cold." He whined.

* * *

An angry glare was being directed at the Blue & Green pair. The handsome's man face was so scary that could make any of his fans vanish.

"Oh my! Such a passionate glare! I would like to be the one to be gazed with such passion." the pink man teased.

"I don't know what you are talking about." his words didn't have any feeling in it.

"Oh come on, did you think I would not notice the sparkle between Tiger and you? You are always looking at him with such eyes that look like you want to pierce him."

"Are you kidding me? Why would I be interested in the old man? I don't even care about him." his words were still cold. He was in such a state that he blurted things that he didn't even mean to.

"Oh, dear, don't say things that you really don't feel, ok? You should start listening more to the feelings in your heart than to reason. There are some things that even reason can analyze. Before you start saying those things, try listening to your heart this time."

"I really can't understand what you mean sometimes."

"Huhuhu. That's what makes you so charming and interesting, handsome." Fire Emblem laughed. "Looks like the dance is over again. I really liked dancing with you, darling." he gave Barnaby a kiss in the cheek. "If you want to talk again I'm here for you. See you again."

"What do you think you are doing, Fire Emblem-san?!" the younger man blurted out, but the other one was already gone.

'_Looks like this will be a long night...'_ Barnaby thought as he was looking at the big moon that was illuminating the Masquerade Ball. It was like she wanted to tell something to him, but he didn't get it and just ignored.


	5. Troublesome Feelings

It was difficult to understand why he was feeling so uneasy. Kotetsu was married once and there was no one who could replace Tomoe in his life, but, suddenly, this whole situation, in which he didn't understand anything, made him start remembering some feelings that he thought he could never feel again.

'_Why Bunny kissed me? He must be just teasing me. It's the only answer, but If it is not it…'_ that thought could not leave his mind. His heart made strange noises when he thought about that.

"Oh my god! Again lost in thought! Stop doing that Tiger. This is so not like you." Blue Rose approached him in the sofa.

"Oh, Blue Rose. What's the matter?"

"Nothing much. I got this plate with shrimps, but I can't eat anymore. Here, you can have it." she handled the plate and sat down on the sofa.

"Oh, thanks a ton! I was thinking so hard that I started to get hungry. And there is mayo on it too!" the bearded man's eyes were shining like a child getting a new toy.

"It's not like I did it for you! I just couldn't eat anymore and wanted to throw away." she hid her embarrassment looking away.

"But thanks anyway!" he started eating happily the shrimp.

"So what are you doing in your retirement?"

"Hm? Ah! I'm helping my brother in the liquor store. There isn't a lot to do, but it helps me not get bored."

"We didn't receive news from you and Barnaby this whole time. It was strange not having you two around."

"Oh! You really must really like Bunny a lot, ne?"

"What?!" she was taken by surprise and said in shock.

"You missed him, didn't you? You felt alone without him in the Hero TV." the older man said with the most oblivious face. "I can help you talk with him If you want." He suggested so innocently that Blue Rose couldn't even give a straight answer.

"I can't believe I was worried with you this whole time…stupid…" the ice queen said in a low angry voice.

"What?"

"…Nothing."

"Ara, my darlings, what are you doing chitchatting alone in this place? I can smell the love." Fire Emblem interrupted the talk.

"You can smell the anger." Rose snapped.

"Tiger, you really can't read the mood. What a naïve man." The pink man, suddenly, started squeezing Kotetsu.

"Da-! What do you mean? Stop doing that." he started trying to get loose of the hug.

"I wish I was so loved like you are. I'm jealous."

"I really don't get it."

"Use your brain sometimes, honey. Maybe you will have an insight. It's my joy to see you two like that. It's so funny." The bourgeois grabbed Tiger's butt and gave him a light kiss.

"Da-! Fire Emblem, what do you think you are doing?" the veteran hero started feeling embarrassed.

"Oh! I want to eat you right now, you know?" He giggled. "But I think I'll be killed by a pierce If I do more than that." he looked away and smiled. "It's better If I go now. Bye, honey."

Kotetsu was left there with a blank face. He didn't understand anything that happened this time. His life was already so complicated and the problems were just starting to appear.

He started having goose bumps, but he didn't know why. It was like when Blue Rose's started filling the place with ice to get the criminals.

* * *

Barnaby could not stop staring at the B&T pair. He was so annoyed with the scene that his head started hurting. He wanted to know what was happening but he couldn't hear what they were saying.

When he saw Blue Rose red, he understand. _'She likes Kotetsu-san. It's so obvious.'_ And his anger started to rose more.

'_Why is it so painful? My heart aches so much that I want to rip it out of me just to feel nothing.'_

Even though he was so popular, had everything he needed and, finally, had his revenge accomplished, he couldn't help feeling such an annoyance from something so small like this.

'_I am Barnaby Brooks Jr., I am a logical man, so why such thing is bothering me so much?'_ he pressed his hand against his lip. The feeling of Kotetsu's lips was still there. He could feel the softness and sweet taste of it. When he kissed the other hero, it's was like his reason had vanished and he gave birth to his true emotions. He wanted to steal the brunette man right away and embrace him.

'_Embrace him? I'm must be going crazy. I can't believe I kissed another man and it was my partner…' _The thoughts in his mind were so confused that he couldn't think anymore. He started mocking himself. _'I must really love him like Fire Emblem-san sa-'_ he suddenly stopped and snapped. His feelings couldn't be more certain. He loved the older man. His desire to take Kotetsu with him and monopolize him was very high, but he could never do that with his partner. He respected the veteran hero more than anything. He trusted him with his life. He didn't know what to do.

'_Ah, I want to go home…Just want this night to end right now'_ Barnaby started massaging his head for the pain to go away.


	6. True meaning of love

A beautiful place surrounded by different types of flowers. Such a peaceful place and all the heroes were there. It was like a big family reunion. All of them smiling and chatting happily. Barnaby was looking everywhere to find Kotetsu, but no sign of him. He started walking through the place and it was, gradually, turning dark. He didn't understand why that was happening and his heart started aching. It was difficult to breath. He, still, went further in that darkness and when he tried to see what happening ahead of him, he saw Blue Rose and Wild Tiger together, smiling at each other and, suddenly, kissing. The last thing he saw before passing out was a sarcastic smile from the pair ahead of him. _'So it's like that, Barnaby. You never had a chance .You will always be a guy. You two can never be together._' a voice said in his mind as he was watching the love scene ahead. And then, everything went completely dark.

"nny…"

"…"

"Bunny!"

"What…?" the blonde hero was still asleep. His head hurt so much he couldn't even stand up.

"Don't 'What'me! You are completely white like a ghost!" the older man helped him to stand up in the sofa. "You are sweating a lot. Are you hurt somewhere?" he couldn't help being worried.

"No… I am ok. My head hurts very much, so don't yell so much. I can't see anything. Where are my glasses?"

"Oh, I think you dropped them. Let me pick them."

"What are you doing here, Kotetsu-san? Weren't you angry with me?"

"This is not the time for that. Your face is horrible. I think your fans would cry If they saw that."

'_You are always so nice and kind to me… That is why I can't help having these feelings…'_ Barnaby looked to Kotetsu's face with such a peaceful face that when the bearded man looked at him, he was taken by surprise.

"Kotetsu-san…"

"Hm? W-What are you doing, Bunny?!"

There was no time for anymore conversation. Barnaby started hugging Kotetsu and didn't let go. The veteran hero could feel that he was a little hot and he was sweating so much that he probably was sick. _'It can't be… He was healthy a little time ago…' _thought Tiger. Something wasn't right since this ballroom started. The new hero was strange and did things that he would never thought that he could do, because they could ruin his own popular image.

"Kotetsu-san, don't leave me alone." Barnaby mumbled in his sleep and his hug, suddenly, got stronger.

"Oi, Oi, Bunny-chan, you're gonna break me…" he tried to get loose, but the handsome hero's grip was very strong, even for him.

'_Why do you have such a sad face, Bunny?'_ Kotetsu couldn't help staring at the other man's face. While looking at the blonde's face, he could saw how serene he was. It was like what happened was just an illusion. _'First you kiss me. Now, this. You're really turning my life upside down, you know?'_ he touched his lips and his heart started beating loudly. He couldn't believe such a thing was happening. He only loved Tomoe all his life and promised to protect that memory as long as he was alive, but what happening with Barnaby started bringing feelings back like an ocean wave.

After some time passed, the older hero started seeing that the younger man's face was getting color again and his fever started passing. It was a relief to see that he was getting better. Kotetsu let a smile while looking at Barnaby.

"This is so lovely." Fire Emblem appeared behind Kotetsu.

"Da-! What now?" he was taken by surprise and got red.

"Oh my, what were you thinking just now? Just don't do things that leave would leave any misunderstand. You never know who might be watching you." he winked. "He is such a handsome man. I could never know that he could look like a helpless person like this."

As soon as Fire Emblem was going to touch Barnaby, Kotetsu's face started looking annoyed. The bourgeois looked at him and smiled. "You never fail to amuse me. I am expecting interesting things from you." He stopped and giggled. "I will be always here for you, darling."

"What are talkin-" when the bearded man was going to ask a question, Fire Emblem gave him a light kiss in the lips and looked at him.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

"Huhuhu. Just something that will give you the strength to think this through."

"What?" He didn't get a single word the other guy said.

"If you could only see the face you were making you would understand it. You think you know everything, honey, but you know nothing at all." he smiled. "This is the only hint I'm going to give you."

"You are great unknown, Fire Emblem."

"This is one of my charms."

'_There are some things that only when the right time comes, we will understand. This is the beauty and true meaning of falling in love. You can't choose who you fall in love. It doesn't have to do with gender, color, age or anything. Someday you will get it, Tiger.'_ Fire emblem thought while seeing the hero duo and smiling.


End file.
